When Rescue Goes Wrong

In the US is a microchip THE legal ownership of a dog/cat?

Is one chip more legal than another? My two have 24-Hour Pet Watch but Cubby will have Home Again (TODAY). The vet says they will register it and it takes about a month. However, I am sure I can pay my fee and set up my online registration today.
 
jomuir said:
Ms. Sanderbeck sounds like she is unhinged to me. I tend to be with the midnight raiders, but what if the dog is not at her home? Can't go around raiding random houses. :(

And the legal letter posted on their website is alarming to me, these people have no intention of getting the dog returned. 'Rescue' indeed. Makes me thankful for the awesome rescue group I've adopted from, I think they would ensure the dog was returned to it's family in this case (okay, I really really hope anyway).
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Midnight :confused2: only if I found out at 11:35PM that you had my dog and were not returning him. You mess with family and I don't leave you until it is resolved and then I make sure you NEVER want to see me or my family again. There are times a little hillbilly just is the only thing that needs to happen, kidnapping either of the guys qualifies. I never understood how people can let it go months.
 
trini gilmore said:
1. although Piper was chipped, the chip had not been registered prior to her getting lost...which renders it legally useless.
2. the shelter held Piper for the mandated (by Ohio state law) amount of time for an owner to step forward and claim her...when that time had passed and no one had come forward she was turned over to COSR and legally became their "property"...again as per Ohio state law.
3. there have been 6 people who have stepped forward to claim either ownership or co-ownership of Piper...confusing the issue as to who among these people is the rightful owner.
4. and, sadly, since it only makes it far less likely that Piper will be released, people have broken the law by raiding the home of one of the rescue workers.
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When my dog was microchipped, the vet wrote down the number on Missy's chart, and handed me the paperwork to register her (either online or mail). Piper's microchip led them to the vet who implanted the chip. This is where I think the shelter failed. I think I read they contacted the vet, and the vet said they would call the shelter back with the information. Even though the microchip wasn't registered, to me it's obvious the dog had an owner! So that's where I'm confused as to why the shelter released Piper. She was unlicensed in the state of Ohio because she doesn't live in Ohio. Regardless, she should have had a collar and tag on.

I think I also read the 6 people were friends of the owner, trying to verify the owner was the true owner. I don't know if that's true or not.

I just think it's ridiculous that Ms. Sanderbeck said (via a public statement by her lawyer) that Piper won't be won't be placed (and I assume) returned until whoever is responsible for the burglary and internet bullying is identified. Umm.. what if whoever did the burglary and internet bullying is in no way related to the owner, and they were just some wannabe vigilante? It's like Ms. Sanderbeck is saying, "you don't get justice until I do!". That's mature.
 
Mom2Melli said:
In the US is a microchip THE legal ownership of a dog/cat?

Is one chip more legal than another? My two have 24-Hour Pet Watch but Cubby will have Home Again (TODAY). The vet says they will register it and it takes about a month. However, I am sure I can pay my fee and set up my online registration today.
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You shouldn't have to pay a fee, my one time registration fee was included with the cost of the microchip. Missy has Home Again. The vet gave me the wrapper the microchip and syringe came in (looks like this- http://www.revivalanimal.com/HomeAgain-Microchips.html) and a piece of paper on how to register. Basically it was a form you could either mail in, or go online and fill out.

I think the recognition of a microchip as proof of legal ownership of a pet depends on the state.
 
I am sorry if I was inflammatory in my post, I wouldn't have the nerve or the gumption to conduct any raids, but I admit I'd fantasize about it if it were my dog being held unlawfully or immorally.

I am NOT condoning breaking into anyone's property to search for the dog, under any circumstances.

The legal system will prevail in this case anyway, but I suspect Ms. Sanderbeck will conveniently 'lose' the dog or some nonsense when she is ruled against in time. What a mess.
 
Jess041 said:
...

I just think it's ridiculous that Ms. Sanderbeck said (via a public statement by her lawyer) that Piper won't be won't be placed (and I assume) returned until whoever is responsible for the burglary and internet bullying is identified. Umm.. what if whoever did the burglary and internet bullying is in no way related to the owner, and they were just some wannabe vigilante? It's like Ms. Sanderbeck is saying, "you don't get justice until I do!". That's mature.
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Sounds more like extortion and I am surprised a lawyer would support it even a little.

Glad I don't have to be exposed to the crazy, I hate crazy :gaah
 
This article gives some excellent insight into the legality of microchips as proof of identification and ownership and also contains quotes explaining the position of Piper's owner.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/...-you-love-your-pet-Then-you-better-read-this#

I would also second what Jess041 said about being careful what we post publicly there. Anger and frustration are understandable and felt by everyone about this situation, but please avoid making statements that can be interpreted as threatening. Clearly these people are very litigious and we don't want to run the risk of inciting them.
 
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This is another reason I point out we have THREE tags on the dogs AND the chip which is kept updated.

Right there on the collar -- Tag 1 traditional contact info. Tag 2 -- county tag registered to ME. Tag 3 -- microchip contact phone number and chip number.

Of course, I uses Dog Tag Art with the swivel mount so whichever side it swings I get a cute picture with the county tag in between. I have a KeepSafe breakaway collar for crating times and times we are gone and a nice fancy collar to swap to when we have a nice outing.

What if a dog bolts out a door or walks out an unlatched gate or a window breaks or there is a car accident? Or like my Quay, we almost got hit by a radio controlled jet! The more ID the better.

My questions on the Piper story are why didn't the dogsitter run RIGHT to the shelter and call the owner immediately? Why didn't the owner show up with papers, pix, a letter from the vet (or even the vet him/herself?), and a sheriff? I would have. Why didn't the vet take take the time to look up that chip? I mean, "Hi vet, we have this bi black female sheltie that you chipped and we need the contact info". "Gosh, that sounds like Piper, pull the file, call Ms. Owner right now! Someone go get the uber valuable animal right this moment and bring her here to our vet's office for the weekend and we will give her back to Ms. Owner. We will board her." Think about it. What's up with "oh, we will look it up on Monday, call us back in 3 days". Why wouldn't the vet know the dog? How many bi black show quality female shelties does that practice have? My vet knows my three dogs by name! I would (figuratively speaking) kill the vet if my dog were in a shelter and they did NOTHING. My dad always said two wrongs don't make a right. While the owner didn't do anything wrong, she did it average, like you would for any animal lost, it was all just casual. If my show girl was lost I would have moved heaven and earth immediately before this could build into a horrifying and baffling story.
 
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Mom2Melli said:
This is another reason I point out we have THREE tags on the dogs AND the chip which is kept updated.

Right there on the collar -- Tag 1 traditional contact info. Tag 2 -- county tag registered to ME. Tag 3 -- microchip contact phone number and chip number.

Of course, I uses Dog Tag Art with the swivel mount so whichever side it swings I get a cute picture with the county tag in between. I have a KeepSafe breakaway collar for crating times and times we are gone and a nice fancy collar to swap to when we have a nice outing.

What if a dog bolts out a door or walks out an unlatched gate or a window breaks or there is a car accident? Or like my Quay, we almost got hit by a radio controlled jet! The more ID the better.

My questions on the Piper story are why didn't the dogsitter run RIGHT to the shelter and call the owner immediately? Why didn't the owner show up with papers, pix, a letter from the vet (or even the vet him/herself?), and a sheriff? I would have. Why didn't the vet take take the time to look up that chip? I mean, "Hi vet, we have this bi black female sheltie that you chipped and we need the contact info". "Gosh, that sounds like Piper, pull the file, call Ms. Owner right now! Someone go get the uber valuable animal right this moment and bring her here to our vet's office for the weekend and we will give her back to Ms. Owner. We will board her." Think about it. What's up with "oh, we will look it up on Monday, call us back in 3 days". Why wouldn't the vet know the dog? How many bi black show quality female shelties does that practice have? My vet knows my three dogs by name! I would (figuratively speaking) kill the vet if my dog were in a shelter and they did NOTHING. My dad always said two wrongs don't make a right. While the owner didn't do anything wrong, she did it average, like you would for any animal lost, it was all just casual. If my show girl was lost I would have moved heaven and earth immediately before this could build into a horrifying and baffling story.
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There would be no reason to show up with the cops initially as 99.999% of rescues do the right thing and then some I would expect. So even with a misunderstanding it could be solved better and quicker with smiles. Also the part I saw was that it was Easter weekend which changed a lot of timing.
 
True. The sheriff would come along only if initial phone or in person contact was unsuccessful.

I did some poking around and I can register all three of my dogs with one registry for one lifetime fee (which I paid when I got Shay and Melli has the same type of chip and is added. Started a profile for Cubby already). I can do the same with the other registry. So now the scanner will read both types of chips and refer them to both registries. Two is better than one right? Must be more legal right?
 
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